I concur with your post. You don’t see “Kiddie NASCAR” or anything that completely dangerous being offered as a sport to adolescents.
18, sure, they are the age of consent, but younger that that seems very naive.
Most of the NASCAR drivers started racing go carts when they were 5 or 6 years old. Check it out.
I am pro-rodeo but don’t think parents have the right to endanger their kids.
If someone wants to race cars, skydive, fly planes, bull ride -
they can choose the risk when they reach adulthood.
My sincerest sympathies to the parents. I do not blame them. They made a mistake, with tragic consequences.